People visit the booth of Flying Pigeon during the 21st China North International Bicycle & E-bike Exhibition in Tianjin, north China, March 30, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo)

　　TIANJIN, March 17 (Xinhua) -- In the exhibition hall of Tianjin Flying Pigeon Cycle Manufacture Co., Ltd. in north China, a row of vintage bicycles stood as a testament to a storied past.

　　As the manufacturer of China's first domestically produced bicycle, Flying Pigeon once served as a prestigious national treasure and an indispensable part of Chinese households.

　　Today, the time-honored brand is shedding its traditional image. By integrating "smart cores," a combination of flexible sensors, AI algorithms and the Internet of Things (IoT), Flying Pigeon is redefining the bicycle from a simple form of transport into an intelligent health management terminal.

　　"Traditional bicycles must embrace new scenarios to stay relevant," said Han Guiyou, chairman of Flying Pigeon.

　　Through collaboration with Tianjin University, the company has developed sensing systems that monitor heart rate and pedaling cadence in real time. The bicycle is no longer just a machine as it has begun to "understand" the rider's physical state.

　　A robust policy environment is fueling this transformation. In line with China's national strategy to revitalize traditional brands, the Tianjin municipal government issued a policy package in 2023 to support the innovation of "time-honored" enterprises such as Flying Pigeon.